Sephora, Pantone and Vionnet / Sephora, Pantone et Vionnet

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.)

I have been seeing this little gem pop up in fashion magazines lately:

J'ai aperçu ce petit bijou dans des magazines de mode récemment:

 

SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Color Theory Shadow Block - Elemental

I immediately thought of the Vionnet coffee coloured summer dress, but with a twist. I have to say, I love the idea of adding just a touch of colour to the original chromatic theme. 

J'ai tout de suite pensé à la robe d'été couleur café de Vionnet, mais avec un petit quelque chose de plus. Je dois admettre que j'aime beaucoup l'idée d'ajouter une touche de couleur à la thématique chromatique originale.

Dress summer 1922 / Robe Été 1922

Les Arts Décoratifs, Union Française des Arts du Costume

If you need more inspiration, there are two more colour combination in that format.

Si vous avez besoin de plus d'inspiration, il y a deux autres combinaisons de couleurs dans le même format.

SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Color Theory Shadow Block - Bionic
 

SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE Color Theory Shadow Block - Eclipsed

My favourite one is the Bionic (of course). I can really picture the Vionnet dress in that palette of colours. And I have a navy straw cloche hat that would go perfect with it.

Ma combinaison favorite est Bionic (bien sûr). Je peux vraiment imaginer la robe Vionnet dans cette palette de couleurs. Et en plus, j'ai une cloche de paille marine qui serait parfaite avec.

To myself, with all my love / À moi de moi, avec tout mon amour

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.)

Remember that little retro cloche hat I mentioned finding before Christmas? I offered it to myself as a present.

Vous souvenez-vous de la petite cloche rétro que j'ai mentioné avoir trouvé avant Noël? Je me la suis offerte en présent.

I tried to put up my hair in a fake Bob / Lady Edith style, but I was not as successful as I had hoped. It looks OK from the front, but the hat barely fits on top of all my pinned up hair. Still, I managed to get a couple of cute pictures.

J'ai essayé de coiffer mes cheveux en fausse coupe garçonne / d'allure Lady Edith, mais ce ne fut pas un grand succès. Ça n'a pas l'air si mal de devant, mais le chapeau fait à peine par dessus tous mes cheveux remontés et épinglés.

I also played a little with Photoshop to make an antiqued sepia version of my favourite picture.

J'ai aussi joué un peu avec Photoshop pour transformer ma photo favorite en vieille photo sépia.

Now I am ready for this year's fashion style which is very 1920s inspired.

Je suis maintenant prête pour la mode des années folles qui est très en vogue cette année.

Shopping Alert: 1920's style / Alerte Shopping: Style années '20

(La version Française se trouve plus bas.)

I was out Christmas shopping last week when something caught my eye; there in the window of Bedo, the display presented two gorgeously beaded dress that look straight out of The Great Gatsby (2013).

La semaine dernière, tandis que je faisais quelques emplettes de Noël, mon regard fut attiré par les mannequins de la vitrine de Bedo qui présentaient deux magnifiques robes qu'on aurait dit toute droit sortie de Gatsby le magnifique (2013).

Beaded Fringe Dress /

Robe avec Perlage

Bedo, 189.00$

Scalloped Hem Beaded Dress /

Robe avec Perlage et Ourlet Festonné

Bedo, 189.00$

If you are maximum a size 12 and you happened to be searching for a 1920's beaded flapper dress for less than 200$, search no more. Oh, and you can thank me later with pictures.

In a different store, I noticed quite a few cloche hats, but one in particular I really love; it somehow reminded me of the hats worn on Downton Abbey (2010), with that pleat and that bow. It is real wool too!

Si vous portez au plus du 12 et que vous cherchiez justement une robe perlée de style années '20 pour moins de 200$, vous n'avez plus à chercher. Oh, et vous pourrez me remercier plus tard en partageant vos photos.

Dans une autre boutique, j'ai remarqué plusieurs chapeaux cloche, mais un en particulier m'a vraiment attiré; il me rappelait les chapeaux portés par les femmes de Downton Abbey (2010), avec son pli et sa boucle. Et il est en laine véritable en plus!

Little retro cloche hat /

La petite cloche rétro

Simons, 25.00$

Has anyone else noticed the Art Deco era fashions reappearing in mainstream stores lately?

Est-ce que quelqu'un d'autre a remarqué cette résurgence de vêtements de l'ère Art Déco dans les chaînes de magasins populaires récemment?

1920s Spectator T-Straps from American Duchess

Looky here! American Duchess has a new model of shoes out, right in time for The Great Gatsby to bring back the fashion of the 1920's au goût du jour.
 

"23Skidoo" 1920s Spectator T-Straps

Available for pre-order now in your choice of white or white/brown. 

I personally want a pair in white, so I can dye them. I have this crazy desire for a green and purple pair.

1920's Obsession

I love to look and drool at vintage garments on websites such as AntiqueDress.com and Vintage Textile. It is the best way to pass the time! While looking at all the beauties for sale or already sold, I have found many dresses I am dying to make.

In this post I will present the three 1920's dresses that have caught my fancy. I had never imagined that I could get so obsessed with the specific cut of dresses from that time, but I cannot get these out of my mind. I know I must try to figure out their patterns and make them for myself.

1. Burned Velvet ans Chiffon

c. 1922/23 Flapper Dress of Raspberry and Coral Silk Cut Velvet Chiffon

The front and back are simple rectangular pieces with a curved opening for the neckline. The left hand side has chiffon gathers held low on the waist by a rhinestone ornament. There is a lining layer of the same chiffon under the dress. According to the description, this dress has no closure; it just goes on over the head and is meant to be worn loose.

I am unsure of the exact shape of the chiffon gathers at the side, but I expect a little draping will help me figure it out.

2. Brocade and Rhinestones

Metallic brocade flapper evening dress, c.1925

This dress has gathered shoulders, a triangular hanging extension over the left arm as well as at the front and back, a faux wrapped waistband and lined skirt. The fabric is metallic brocade and there are two rhinestones flower appliqués decorating the front of the dress.

Unfortunately, I can no longer find this dress on the website where I had discovered it, so I have to no description to go by, only the photos I saved for my own reference. This will also require some draping to figure out the pattern. But I did see the perfect brocade for it at Fabricville.

3. Medieval Inspiration

Gallenga hand-stenciled tea gown, c.1920

Maria Monaci Gallenga was well known for her Medieval style gowns. This gown is loose fitting, ankle length, has long pointed sleeves and a square back train. The sleeves are joined to the body of the gown at the armholes with tubular Venetian glass beads. Mille fiore Venetian beads also decorate the points of the sleeves.

Made of modern stretch velvet, I bet this dress would be incredibly comfortable to wear.

So there you have it, these are my three 1920's obsession.With The Great Gatsby coming out this December, I hope and wish I can make at least one of them to wear for the Holidays.

BCBG and Vionnet

Recently, I saw this ad for BCBG Max Azria in a magazine.

BCBG Max Azria Fall 2011 ad campaign

Of course, I recognized the dress immediately. Did you? Just look at those concentric squares on the bodice; it is clearly inspired by this Madeleine Vionnet dress from the 1920's.

Dress summer 1922, Les Arts Décoratifs, Union Française des Arts du Costume

This is proof once again that in fashion, nothing is truly original nowadays; it is always inspired to some degree by something else, more often then not the past.

By the way, should you wish to make the Vionnet dress for yourself, the pattern can be found in Pattern Of Fashion 2 1860-1940 by Janet Arnold. I myself find it interesting, but the light beige to coffee colour palette is not my cup of tea (pun intended). I like the BCBG colour scheme of blues. I might try that. I would also love to see what colour combination others might come up with. (That would make a great Masquerade / Competition theme for Costume Con.)

The Evolution of Fashion in 30 seconds

There are costumes everywhere. I've said this often, and I have yet a new example for you.

Have you seen the new Tena commercial on Tele? I know, it is an add for incontinence solutions, but lets try to ignore that here. What is cool is they show 200 years of fashion evolution in less than 30 seconds. OK, sure that means they had to make some choices and show only a few costumes, but I still think it's fun.

Can you identify them all? First we have an 18th century / Marie-Antoinette style gown (well, at least that is what it is supposed to represent, because it's not exactly perfectly period per se), then a late 19th century Bustle Gown, followed by a 1920's flapper look, completed with cloche hat, a 1950's dress and finally an evening gown which could be from the 80's, but is probably meant to represent today's fashion (styles comes back every 20 years or so, you know).

It's a cute add. It pleases this costumer. Sure, it's not going to encourage me to buy the product (I'm really not in their target market), but the message is clear.

Just like Fashion evolves, so do many other things.

Movie Monday: Amelia

Ever heard of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean? This Friday, Amelia (2009), the movie about her story, will open in theatres. Now that was a true role model!

As her exploits happened in the 20's and 30's, this means historical clothes for us costumes lovers!

Virginia Madsen as Dorothy Binney, Hilary Swank as Amelia Earheart and Richard Gere as George P. Putnam, Amelia (2009)

Go on, put on your Cloche hat and go see that movie!

Shopping Alert - Costumes in Fashion: T-Strap shoes

Yes, more shoes to buy that can be used for costumes! Have you noticed how many t-strap shoes are on the market this year? I was looking for a (cheap) pair like crazy last fall. (I would have found one had I been ready to pay top dollar!) Why? Because last year, Nancy-Raven decided to add a theme to her annual Halloween party: the Roaring 20's. Nothing wrong with that, I love a theme as much as the next costumer, but I'm a perfectionist, and I had to go to the party with the wrong shoes (which no one noticed, really).

Here are two that I have found that could be used for historical (20th century) costuming:

Unforgettable Moments by Lela Rose Diana T-Strap Pump (Payless ShoeSource)

These are from their Bridal collection, so they only come in white, but they're only 24.99$ (USD) so you can always spray paint them to change their colour if you need them, say, black (mind you, I'm sure you can find some black ones if you take the time to look around).

Auffrey (Spring)

These look very much like Character Shoes (Ballroom Dance shoes), which are perfect for a 1920's look, except that these particular shoes have this little frill down the T-Strap. Not very historical, but I still like them. They do have that little romantic Je ne sais quoi, and you can get them in Neutral, Grey or Black.

So if any of you need T-Strap shoes, now is the time to buy. I've only given you a couple of examples, but really there are plenty in stores.

As for Nancy-Raven's Roaring 20's party, it turned out great, and we all looked fabulous.

Flapper Ladies

I wore teal of course (more on that dress in a future post, sometime in October), and Nancy-Raven made herself a red dress. Also note that, although I'm holding a wine glass, I was drinking Sprite as I was 5 1/2 month pregnant. (The two other girls are some of Nancy-Raven's co-workers. The guy in the back seen in the center of the picture is my Sweetheart, while the one wearing a hat is a friend of Nancy-Raven's Honey.)